The Future at Forward: JJ and Zacc?
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2024 2:38 pm
Hawks planning for Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher to be dynamic duo
“What I was told was that they're envisioning either surrounding Trae or, maybe in the future if Trae is not on the team – and I'm not saying that they're looking to move him. I'm saying that like they're setting up their roster in a way where they really are valuing a lot of positional size. And they like the idea of playing Risacher with Jaylen Johnson moving forward,” Vecenie told Smith.
“They see those two as being really good complements to one another where Jalen is this dynamic athlete out in transition who's a playmaker. And then Risacher is your really solid wing who can play really solid help defense, and can knock down shots from the perimeter, and, hopefully, has a little bit more in his bag offensively as he continues to grow, and mature, and his frame fills out.
“I think they're envisioning it totally as these guys can play together, not that they're duplicative of one another.”
That is exciting alone and for what it could mean for Young – who turned heads with a photo alongside Risacher and 2024 offseason trade acquisition Dyson Daniels at his From The Point Weekend – and the Hawks going forward.
“I know a lot of people said, ‘Are they gonna re-sign Johnson? They have Zaccharie Risacher.’ Well, everything I'm hearing is – and I’m curious if you have heard the same thing – they're like, ‘Hey, we're kind of viewing the 2, 3, and maybe even the 4 is all kind of interchangeable for us. We plan to play them all together.”
“What I was told was that they're envisioning either surrounding Trae or, maybe in the future if Trae is not on the team – and I'm not saying that they're looking to move him. I'm saying that like they're setting up their roster in a way where they really are valuing a lot of positional size. And they like the idea of playing Risacher with Jaylen Johnson moving forward,” Vecenie told Smith.
“They see those two as being really good complements to one another where Jalen is this dynamic athlete out in transition who's a playmaker. And then Risacher is your really solid wing who can play really solid help defense, and can knock down shots from the perimeter, and, hopefully, has a little bit more in his bag offensively as he continues to grow, and mature, and his frame fills out.
“I think they're envisioning it totally as these guys can play together, not that they're duplicative of one another.”
That is exciting alone and for what it could mean for Young – who turned heads with a photo alongside Risacher and 2024 offseason trade acquisition Dyson Daniels at his From The Point Weekend – and the Hawks going forward.
“I know a lot of people said, ‘Are they gonna re-sign Johnson? They have Zaccharie Risacher.’ Well, everything I'm hearing is – and I’m curious if you have heard the same thing – they're like, ‘Hey, we're kind of viewing the 2, 3, and maybe even the 4 is all kind of interchangeable for us. We plan to play them all together.”